Electric indicator



(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1. L. 0. GHATPIELD.

ELECTRIC INDICATOR.

No. 440,013. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

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L. O. GHATFI ELD. ELECTRIC INDICATOR.

No. 440,013. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

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LESTON O. CHATFIELD, OF BEN"ON HARBOR, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,013, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed December 12, 1889. Serial No. 333,464. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEsToN O. CHATFIELD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Benton Harbor, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Indicators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in electric alarms.

The object of the invention is to provide a means and system of electric connections and attachments whereby the device may be either used as a fire-alarm or method of signaling; and my invention consists in the improvements and combination of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram view showing my invention applied as an electric fire-alarm. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the device for operating the hand-annunciator. Figs. 3, 4:, and 5 are views showing the circuit-breaker, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the circuit-closer.

A refers to the annunciatonwhich has a plate or visible disk divided off into sections and numbered or lettered, as may be desired, and this annunciator is provided centrally with a shaft a, upon which is mounted a hand 0. and a ratchet or escapement wheel a Au escapement B or plate carrying rigidly a pawl is pivoted to one side of the ratchet-wheel and is operated by an electro-magnetB', to which the wires of the main circuit are electrically connected, each electric impulse moving the hand one point. The annunciator is also provided with a bell which is operated electrically in the usual manner when the circuit is closed, the obj eet thereof being to call attention to the annunciator.

The main circuit or wires 1 and 2 are not connected to each other, but are open, and at the end of the line is a circuit-closing mechanism, which may consist of a clock D, provided with means whereby the circuit will be closed and an alarm sounded periodically or at stated intervals, this clock-oircuit-closing attachment being employed for the purpose of adjusting-the main line consisting of the wires 1 and 2.

In the drawings, 3, l, 5, and (5 refer to apartments, buildings, or other structures, which are provided with wires or circuits 7 and 8, which lead from the main line .1 and 2 to an electric-circuit breaker E, which is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings. \Vires extend from this circuit-breaker to suitable points in the apartment, and normally the ends are not connected. These circuits 7 and 8 have interposed beyond the circuit-breaker a series of buttons or circuit-closers F, as shown in Fig. 6, which are held open by a wax or fusible cap f, which is secured to a rod f, which holds the bar f out of contact with the point J. The spring or bar f and the point f are connected to the wires 7 and 8, so that when brought together the circuit will be closed and the make-andbreak circuitcloser E operated. This make-and-break circuit-closer consists of a trough or way e, which is provided with a series of points 6 and c which are connected or attached to pieces 6 of metal, to which the wires 7 and 8 are connected. A ball, sphere, or cylinder E is held by means of a pivoted arm 9 at the upper end of the inclined trough or way, one end of this pivoted lever being bent so as to lie across the way, while the opposite end is located above an electro-magnet 9, said magnet being connected to the wires or branch circuits 7 and 8. \Vhen the circuit is closed by the wax f melting, as it will when there is a rise in the temperature of the room, the bar will rise in contact with the point f and close the branch circuits. The electro-magnet will then draw upon the end of the arm g,

so as to release the ball or cylinder, which is of conducting material, and as this ball or cylinder passes over the connections 6 and c it will make and break the circuit, which make and break will ring the bell of the annunciator and advance the hand a thereof one point. The number of strips or conductors e and e in each one of the troughs or ways e will determine the number of times the circuit is closed and the hand of the annunciator advanced, so that in the station where the said annunciator is located the place where the alarm was turned in can be determined.

This device is adapted to be operated by hand and can be used for ordinary call or sig nal purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric-circuitbreaker, the combination of an inclined Way having two series of insulated metallic strips or contacts 6' 6 the strips of both series being in contact with metallic pieces 6 adapted to form circuitconnections, a gravity-operated circuit-closer, an arm pivoted to one side of the way to retain the circuit-closer, and an electro-magnet adapted to vibrate said arm to release said circuit-closer, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in an electric-circuit breaker, of an inclined way of non-conducting material centrally grooved or recessed, conductors intersecting the groove or recess and connected to conductors located on the sides of the way, a pivoted arm g, electro-magnet for elevating the same, and a metallic ball or cylinder adapted to be held by the arm g when the circuit is opened and released when closed, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

3. An annunciator for electric alarms, having the shaft carrying the hand and ratchet wheel, a depending plate B, located at one side of the ratchet-wheel, pivoted at its upper end above the same and carrying rigidly the pawl to engage said ratchet-wheel, and ahorizontal electro-magnet located below the ratchet-wheel and adapted to act on the free lower end of the plate to vibrate the same, the ratchet-Wheel and magnet being on the same side of the plate, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LESTON O. CI-IATFIELD. Witnesses:

GEO. E. LAKE, A. PLUMMER. 

